1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to training aids used for controlling and achieving obedient behavior of animals, dogs in particular.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art various types of muzzles and collars have been used in attempts to achieve dog control, including a metal choke chain collar which encircles the neck and tightens down to tend to choke the dog as control pressure is applied through a leash. This choke collar applies pressure to the skin and muscles of the neck as well as to the larynx and trachea producing pain and interfering with the breathing. Severe injury can result, particularly to the trachea and larnyx and the collar may slip down toward the body of the dog to a position on the neck where the collar is not in contact with the muscles and nerves most suitable for controlling animal behavior.
Additionally, there are prong collars that have metal prongs or points that press against the skin of the neck producing pain at the pressure points, which can cause injury as well as great pain. Snap around choke collars have been used to fit around the neck, but, again, these do not control the muzzle and can produce injury to the trachea and/or larynx. There are traditional muzzles to encase the nose and lower jaw of a dog but they do not apply any variable pressure and merely keep the mouth from being opened sufficiently to prevent dogs for biting people. Muzzles are not helpful for obedience training.
Various halters also have been advanced for dog control, but they generally do not change in size or shape to aid the handler in applying variable pressure to nerves and muscles which aid in controlling or obtaining obedience from the dog.
The prior art includes a device called a "K-9 Kumalong Halter". This device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,275, issued Nov. 20, 1984 to Alice A. De Groot. The halter has an integral leash on a muzzle loop as shown in FIG. 1 of the patent which will tend to tighten upon pulling on the leash, but the way the device is constructed the neck band does not apply appropriate pressure to the sensitive areas of the neck that achieve dog control and obedience without injuring the dog. An intermediate strap is used between a neck band or collar and the muzzle loop and leash, and thus control pressures are ndt directly applied to the neck upon modest pulling forces on the leash in the proper direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,610, issued to Earl Taylor on July 6, 1982 shows an animal control halter which is somewhat similar to the previously described device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,275, and discloses a halter of somewhat conventional form except that it has a device to tighten the muzzle loop down onto the nose of the animal. The tightening is achieved indirectly by tightening around the lower side of the animal's jaw, rather then applying pressure directly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,925, issued Sept. 25, 1984 to Dale Woodruff also shows a training halter that has various tightenable sections, but because of its arrangement for tightening the head loop, that is the loop that forms the collar, and for tightening only indirectly of the muzzle or nose loop (this device is designed primarily for horses), pressure for control is not achieved directly. In fact, the head loop for the horse does not encircle the neck just behind the jaws as does the present device. Thus the device of U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,925 does not provide for behavior control by applying modest pressure to the muscles and nerves which tend to influence the animal behavior the most.
A similar device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,538, issued Apr. 13, 1976 to Dale Woodruff.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,615 also shows an animal halter made of rope, which provides means for tightening a head or neck loop and muzzle, but without direct, simultaneous control on both of the loops. The muzzle loop is not directly tightenable in this device, and pulling on the leash tends to provide forces which will skew the halter, unless the leash is pulled downwardly, which is difficult when using the device with dogs.